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Square Enix Slashes Outlook, Delays Dragon Quest IX
Square Enix has dropped its revenue forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 31 2009, making cuts through its net sales, operating income and net income estimates.
Net income was previously forecast at ¥12 billion, though the publisher has chopped this figure by ¥7.5 billion. Square Enix's net income for the previous fiscal year sat over ¥9.1 billion, yet today the publisher announced it expected this fiscal year to yield half that; ¥4.5 billion.
A higher cut was made to expected operating income. Square Enix revised its forecast from ¥21 billion (the figure it attained in the last fiscal) to ¥12 billion; a 42 percent cut.
Net Sales fell too, sliding around 17 percent from ¥160 billion to ¥133 billion. The revision pulls expectations down by ¥27 billion, and ¥14.5 billion below its results for the fiscal year ending March 08.
“While results for games (online), mobile phone content, publishing and other segments have been progressing at a rate exceeding the figures previously planned,” Square Enix said in a statement, “Amusement (Taito Corporation) and games (offline segments) are projected to underperform figures previously planned.”
The company said this was due to a “severe business environment for Amusement, and the adjourned release of a major game software , which was originally announced to be released March 2009.”
That delayed release will be Dragon Quest IX, the publisher’s highly lucrative title which was originally planned for a March release in Japan, but now is set to arrive at Japanese retail outlets on July 11.
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From the FF XIII get delayed article:
"On January 16th Top_Dollar said:
I'll just import the JPN version. Yes, i'll be playing this on 2009."
Props to Jesse for actually thinking about the situation instead of just reacting to it.
developers do want to please their consumers ( believe it or not), matters are more complicated than just putting a "J" ahead of a genre and calling it mediocre just because you weren't part of the target demografic.
I agree, Jrpg's are so fucking lame now. Honestly, Japanese developers have no balls when it comes to innovation within the genre.
So what would a ballsy developer do to innovate?
How has Square-Enix proven themselves to be lacking in balls?
Do you think taking the mega-popular Dragon Quest franchise to a low powered handheld sysem is a move completely lacking in balls?
AndyLC said:
So what would a ballsy developer do to innovate?
How has Square-Enix proven themselves to be lacking in balls?
Do you think taking the mega-popular Dragon Quest franchise to a low powered handheld sysem is a move completely lacking in balls?
Name a J Studio over the past decade that's taken the RPG genre forward?
Where is all the Square Enix new IP?
So a popular franchise get's moved to a handheld! We've seen it a million times before! You call this a ballsy move? More like playing it safe!
Hey, you forgot to answer my questions first! hahah
>Name a J Studio over the past decade that's taken the RPG genre forward?
Capcom's Dragon Quarter really combined gameplay and story with a punishing (and rewarding) gameplay mechanics. Did pretty terribly in the US though (and Japan too I figure). I'd also say Wizardry: Tale but nobody's played that one too heheh...
Hmmm, do you consider Pokemon an RPG? In a way, it's a Massively Multiplayer meet-people-in-real-life RPG.
If you want innovation... has any other company made an iPod RPG with characters generated from music? Square Enix has.
Swingin' the wiimote like a sword? Square-Enix (well, just Enix then) did that first. Dragon Quest Kenshin (it's actually a better game than DQSwords on the Wii!)
>Where is all the Square Enix new IP?
Last Remnant, Song Summoner, Sigma Harmonics, Nanashi no Game (this one's really interesting, a DS game about an 8bit RPG that kills you if you don't complete it in 7 days, you should look it up)
Kingdom Hearts is relatively new IP, within the last 10 years.
And really, every Final Fantasy game has a COMPLETELY NEW CAST OF CHARACTERS, set in a NEW WORLD. The only direct sequel they've done is Crisis Core and Dirge, both of which totally change the gameplay from FF7. (ok, I just forgot X-2 existed heheh)
The existing IP they already have... Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, SaGa, Mana, Kingdom Hearts, Ogre Battle, Chrono Trigger, Brave Fencer Musashi, Ergheiz, Front Mission, Einhander, Valkyrie Profile (sorta, I mean if Dragon Quest counts... why not?)
and... I think Final Fantasy 11 and Final Fantasy 12 are different enough from each other (compared to say, Halo 2 & 3) to say they are not quite the same IP...
>So a popular franchise get's moved to a handheld! We've seen it a million times before! You call this a ballsy move? More like playing it safe!
This is not a remake or a spinoff, this is a direct sequel. When have you seen it before. I wouldn't really count Earthbound, as it is not as mega millions kids-skip-class-adults-skip-work popular as Dragonquest is.
So you gonna answer my question now?
Take a look at Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4. I have had it a month of so now and it takes the JRPG to a new level. Although it's not for lightweights it'll take you 2hours just to establish yourself with in the world.. Then the fun begins. If were talking about inovation I would certainly cite Persona4 as one to push JRPG forward. Looking forward to the next and already have made a move to get Persona 3 FES.
Persona 4 was reviewed it a couple of months back check here
However it's debatable whether it'll make the trip across the atlantic, but PS2 price as they are, it might be worth getting an NTSC PS2 or a modchip to enable you to play this one. But that's only my opinion.
opps sorry.. My bad :P
I think Top_Dollar is right.. I suspect this will open us up for a whole load of stick. But for a while now all SquareEnix has been doing is butchering it's back catalogue of JRPG's and this from a gamers point of view, it's bad news. I too am a great fan of JRPG, I have cut my teeth with the FF series but in my opinion it's all been down hill from FF10 onwards..
Having said that, I don't think JRPG is dead, far front it. There is a huge shortfall of JRPGs that don't get a PAL releases. It's nice and easy for the JRPGs to go to America because of NTSC. Look and a popularity of the Shin Megami Tensei series.
The question is, why don't Japanese developers have more confidence in the PAL territories to release games here? Front Mission 5(SquareEnix), Persona 3/4(Atlus), Namco Vs Capcom(Namco). Most don't even get a translation, well not outside the homebrew community anyway.
Maybe with high definition TVs appear in every home maybe at some stage will live in a region free world but at the moment it's a long way off. A culmination of PAL and lack of translations is the problem. Not lack of games, in my opinion.
Square Enix use to make excellent RPG's in the 90's. Now though, they seem to just release the same old run-of-the-mill Final Fantasy franchises and milking them for what they're worth.
I wish Square Enix would get off their ass and give us a title that would reinvent the RPG genre because currently it's western developers like Bioware, Bethesda, CD Projekt, Lionhead Studios, etc that are pushing the way forward for RPG's.
There was a time when i would've bitten your hand off to play the latest JRPG, now i wouldn't touch them and prefer to play western style RPG's as the developers constantly try to push the genre forward.
I must be one of the few who are not looking forward to Final Fantsy XIII as it'll more than likely be the same old tired concepts i.e. pretty boy characters, etc. No doubt though it'll sell in the millions.
Square Enix are like fresh milk gone sour.
>>I wish Square Enix would get off their ass and give us a title that would reinvent the RPG genre
Final Fantasy 12 introduced an autoplay system to get rid of repetitive action like attack and healing under certain conditions. Each Final Fantasy has its own mechanics for how spells and skills are learned.
7 is a dystopian gritty retro-futuristic setting, 8 is a polished futuristic setting, 9 is a high fantasy setting homage to older generation FF's, 10 is a world with a heavy focus on water, 11 is a classic fantasy setting, 12 is a Mediterranean high fantasy setting populated with demihumans.
Final Fantasy 13 is looking to have a new gameplay mechanic for cinematic semi-turn based action.
Are these all the same run-of-the-mill settings?
>>same old tired concepts i.e. pretty boy characters
That is art direction.
The protagonists also all have distinct appearances, weapons, and personalities.
FF7's Cloud was an enhanced mercenary ex-soldier (like FF6's Magitek soldiers). He emulates a heroic individual that he wishes he could've been. He uses a gigantic two handed sword.
FF8's Squall is from a mercenary school (and rises in the ranks), he pretends not to care what others think of him. He uses a pistol gripped gunblade, a power sword with a trigger mechanism.
FF9's Zidane has more SD proportions, has a playful personality, has a tail, uses two daggers
FF10's Tidus has a cheerful personality and wears bright colored clothes, though has a complex about his unloving father. He is a sports athlete and a foreigner to the setting (every other protagonist is a native). He uses medium sized swords.
FF11 was an MMO. It had elves who were dark skinned and physically powerful, and dwarf-types that were 7ft+ tall.
FF12 has a protagonist who is actually not completely world-saving critical to the plot, he is a young kid who dreams of owning his own airship and sailing the skies freely. You can choose what weapon to specialize in.
Are you going to tell me Cloud, Zidane, and Tidus are the same person? Can you not tell spikey yellow haired, retro-gritty clothed Cloud apart from fashion-clothed dark haired Squall?
and this is just Final Fantasy
Square-Enix also has Dragon Quest, character designs done by Toriyama Akira. Can you not tell him apart from Nomura or Amano's designs?
Dragon Quest, the no.1 RPG in Japan is going to be on a hand held system, not a polygon crunching next gen system. Is that run-of-the-mill predictable move to you?
AndyLC said:
Final Fantasy 12 introduced an autoplay system to get rid of repetitive action like attack and healing under certain conditions. Each Final Fantasy has its own mechanics for how spells and skills are learned.
I wouldn't call Final Fantasy 12 a reinvention of the JRPG. Get a grip.
Why not? It was revolutionary enough to alienate many of its hardcore fans
What is a reinvention of the JRPG then?
Talk about milk a brand. There's nothing interesting/new to the seasoned RPG gamer in those games you mention above!
And as Top rightly point out...Square Enix are going down the run of the mill stream.
>>There's nothing interesting/new to the seasoned RPG gamer
Why? And what is a seasoned RPG gamer? Do you consider yourself a seasoned RPG gamer? If so, what makes you seasoned? What RPG's have you played? Have they included Square-Enix titles in the past? Did you once enjoy them and no longer? If so, why?
what is interesting/new to the seasoned RPG gamer?
How is Square Enix going down the run-of-the-mill stream?
Is Donald Duck and Goofy fighting Sephiroth run-of-the-mill?
Wow, you're clearly a fan, therefore your going to defend the firm and their games!
As for the rest of us...we know when the piss is been taking. Just because you like FF/Dragon Quest doesn't mean the rest of the world does.
Anyway your rant above isn't going to change the fact that the JRPG is in mediore land at the moment.
>>Wow, you're clearly a fan, therefore your going to defend the firm and their games!
Well, isn't that obvious? Why else would I take the time to write a rant that long?
>>Just because you like FF/Dragon Quest doesn't mean the rest of the world does.
But according to you, most of the world is hahah
"I must be one of the few who are not looking forward to Final Fantsy XIII"
But who cares? I'm talking with YOU, Top_Dollar, you are replying to ME, the rest of the world can join in if they'd like though.
>>Anyway your rant above isn't going to change the fact that the JRPG is in mediore land at the moment.
I want you to explain it. Tell me how every new Final Fantasy is run of the mill. You imply you used to be a Final Fantasy fan, so how did they fail you?
Why does it still sell millions if they've failed your standards?
I want to know not just WHAT you think, but WHY you think so.
We don't really see what's going on in the world of the RPG right now, and it has nothing to do with a lack of innovation. Consoles are too expensive to develop for, which blocks most publishers from creating the triple-A titles people are looking for. That doesn't mean there aren't a ton of great B- and C-level games. Some of them (Persona 4, for one, Ar Tonelico 2, for another, and Valkyria Chronicles for a third) even make it out in the West.
But to discount Japan and the JRPG in one fell swoop is a little overboard.
I'm really looking forward to DQIX, and I've got my fingers cautiously crossed for FFXIII as well.
Shifts in the market have been odd lately, things mostly moving to the portable platforms, and Square Enix has had to roll with it, just like the rest of us. We're not in the Super Famicom era any longer, I'm afraid.
Just go ahead and Beat Top_Dollar over the head with his opinions.. lol
Actually, I'm curious to hear Top_Dollar's reasons as well. One of the best (and most dangerous!) things about comments sections is the conversations they allow. It's great to get different points of view.
I'm especially curious about Top_Dollar's sentiments, because I'm guessing I probably have a similar gaming background to him (or her? Sorry I shouldn't just assume everyone else is a guy cos I'm one).
I consider myself a pretty "seasoned" rpgamer. I grew up playing console RPGs (Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy etc) as well as PC RPGs (Ultima, Eye of the Beholder and too many other early TSR games to list) as well as pen and paper RPGs (D&D, Rifts, all the Whitewolf titles). I love RPGs! Which is why I'm confused when I hear comments like "JRPGs don't push the boundaries anymore" or just flat out "JRPGs suck!"
This confuses me because I still enjoy them. So do all my friends that I've been playing games with all my life. I can talk to them about the finer points of Persona 4 or The Witcher.
I guess I just don't understand where all the hate comes from. When I was younger, gamers related to one another and were unabashed fans of games. Being a "fan" was not a bad thing. Now it seems everyone is a critic, which is fine, it's good to refine your feelings into critique, but I can't help but feel that alot of gamers are supressing their natural enjoyment of things in the quest to acquire more refined taste.
Doh! That last comment was not meant to be a cheap shot at Top_Dollar. I kind of just melted into a rant of my own haha. Anyway, let's have a civil discussion!